Durham Grad Nick Mohammed could exit BBC Celebrity Traitors

Durham University alumnus and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed may be the next contestant to face the chop on BBC’s hit reality series The Celebrity Traitors, as tension builds ahead of Wednesday night’s (October 29) episode.

The popular show, filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, has captivated viewers since its return, with nineteen famous faces competing in a high-stakes game of trust, treachery and deduction.

Among them is Durham graduate Nick Mohammed, whose calm intellect and comic charm have made him a standout figure in the castle — but could also put a target on his back.

A Familiar Face from Screen to Castle

Nick Mohammed, 45, is best known to audiences as Nathan “Nate” Shelley from Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso, a performance that earned him two Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Now, the Durham University and St Aidan’s College alumnus finds himself in a very different kind of competition.

Nick Mohammed attending the world premiere of Deep Cover at the SXSW London screen festival (Image: IAN WEST/PA NEWS WIRE)

Swapping the football pitch for a Scottish fortress, Mohammed must use every ounce of his intellect to survive the psychological twists and turns of The Celebrity Traitors.

He joins a glittering line-up of household names, including Alan Carr, Stephen Fry, Cat Burns, and Charlotte Church. Each is playing for charity, but as fans of the series know, the only way to reach the final is to lie, deceive and outmanoeuvre the rest.

A Sharp Mind with a Gentle Humour

Mohammed’s background is one that few comedians share.

Having studied Geophysics at Durham University, he later pursued a PhD in Seismology at Cambridge, before realising his true calling lay in performance and comedy.

While at Durham, he was a member of the University Orchestra, where he met his future wife, Becka, who now works as a teacher.

Although his time at university was largely focused on science, Mohammed’s creative spark emerged early.

Nick Mohammed, one of the contestants for BBC1's The Celebrity Traitors (Image: Cody Burridge/BBC)

He twice auditioned for the Durham Revue — the university’s famed comedy troupe — but was unsuccessful.

Ironically, those early rejections only motivated him further, and his determination eventually led him to success with the Cambridge Footlights, launching a career that now spans stage, screen and radio.

Can Nick Outwit the Traitors?

In The Celebrity Traitors, host Claudia Winkleman divides the cast into two secret factions — the “Faithful” and the “Traitors.” The Faithful must complete missions and identify the Traitors among them before they’re “murdered” in the night.

Nick has impressed both viewers and fellow contestants with his quick thinking, calm demeanour and strategic approach.

His strong memory and puzzle-solving ability, showcased during his stint on Taskmaster and in interviews, could make him an asset to the Faithful.

In a 2025 interview with The Observer, he revealed: “I read geophysics at Durham University, then a PhD in seismology at Cambridge. It was all geared towards a life of academia or working for an oil company, which didn’t sit well with me. When I joined Footlights, it ignited an inner fire and made me dare to believe that a comedy career might be possible.”

The cast of The Celebrity Traitors (Image: Cody Burridge/BBC)

Beyond Ted Lasso, he created and starred in the Sky comedy series Intelligence alongside David Schwimmer, and has delighted fans with his eccentric alter ego, Mr Swallow.

In 2024, he joined the cast of the fifth season of Slow Horses, portraying the Mayor of London, Zahar Jaffrey, further cementing his reputation as one of Britain’s most versatile comedic talents.

He also proved his mettle on Taskmaster series 17, where his inventive and sometimes chaotic problem-solving style won over viewers.

Those same creative instincts may help him survive in The Celebrity Traitors, where wit, adaptability and a strong poker face are crucial.

Durham Connections Continue

Interestingly, Mohammed isn’t the only Durham University link in The Celebrity Traitors universe.

The official line up for The Celebrity Traitors (Image: BBC)

Fellow alumnus Ed Gamble (Philosophy, Hatfield College) presents the BBC’s companion show, The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked, which airs after each episode.

The spin-off series features interviews with contestants and behind-the-scenes insights from the castle, offering fans extra intrigue after each dramatic “banishment.”

What’s Next?

As the series continues, fans are bracing for another shocking elimination.

With Claudia Winkleman’s ever-dramatic “Traitor reveals” keeping audiences on edge, speculation is mounting that Nick Mohammed could be “killed off” in tomorrow’s (October 29) episode.

At the end of the last episode, it was between Nick Mohammed, Lucy Beaumont, or Kate Garraway to be 'murdered' 'in person' by the Traitors.

When and Where to Watch

New episodes of The Celebrity Traitors air Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One, with all instalments available to stream on BBC iPlayer.